Il Tavolino

Suggested by our hotel front desk (which could be a hit or miss), we came here after an extended journey arriving by train from Paris. Hungry and tired, we were looking for a nice place to sit, relax and enjoy our first Italian meal of our trip. We were pleasantly surprised by the charming ambiance, atmosphere and service at II Tavolino. We were not only impressed by the attentive service, the food was absolutely delicious and we were very delighted we dined here!

Such a lovely restaurant with friendly and welcoming staff. It was right next to my hotel. I went there for both lunch and dinner. The Milanese risotto wasn’t really my taste — the rice was quite firm, and the saffron flavor was very strong. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend this restaurant.

The food was fanstatic and the service was even better. Everyone was so friendly. I ordered the Milanese Saffron risotto, the Angus steak slices and the tiramisu. Also had a campari spritz. Total was 69.50.

Let me begin with saying, the look of this place is better than what you actually get. Food - we ordered the milanese meatballs, lasagna and a pizza. The meatballs arrived buried underneath a mound of cheese, but they were tasty. 3 meatballs so easy enough to share or have by yourself. The pizza was edible, but its definitely not where id recommend for a pizza, and their lasagna was okay, a huge slab is the best way to describe it but not the tastiest either. The best thing about here was the bottle of Gavi they had on the wine list, but everything else really was a let down. Service took over 25mins to take our drinks order, no water or bread or anything served to us in the meantime just left us waiting in which we had agreed if it took any longer than another 2 minutes, we would have left. When they did finally come to take our order, food arrived slowly, warm but not hot as if it was super fresh, and the bottle of water we asked for with the wine seemed to take the longest to arrive. The waiter who started serving us disappeared midway through, and instead was replaced by a younger man who was a bit inexperienced (was quite apparent), and randomly brought over a bread basket that was filled with burnt bread towards the end of our main course. Food honestly wasn't worth the price we paid, and service really was so questionable. Read all the reviews left by everyone recently before deciding to come here, because somethings clearly changed in the last few weeks that they've clearly gone quite downhill from all the great 5* reviews left beforehand.

I likely got food poisoning here. The tiramisu was runny and liquidy. Was unlike any other tiramisu I've tried. It couldn't hold its shape at all. I wasn't sure if it's just a different style of tiramisu but after doing some research, tiramisu definitely shouldn't be runny. Didn't take photos of the aftermath but you can see for yourself by ordering it. Or maybe I got a bad one. Anyway, this tiramisu wasn't like any of the ones I've seen in the photos here. Your new recipe or whatever sucks.

We had a reservation here and had a great time here with amazing service!! Everyone’s meals were delicious especially the taglioni with truffle and ossobuco veal saffron risotto- an authentic Milan dish. The staff was so attentive and kind and we would definitely recommend!

Delightful restaurant with friendly, attentive staff. Food is delicious. Better than your average for sure. The bruschetta to start is a must and then the traditional lasagna is one to try for sure. Creamy and flavoursome, and decent portion size. Would definitely go again.

What can I say… we ate there twice this week and it was awesome!! My husband had the lasagna bolognese and the broccoli rabe and sausage pizza( we added sauce). He said it was exquisite!! I had the vegan choices of mixed salad, mixed vegetables and potatoes. It was perfect! Such a beautiful atmosphere… couldn’t ask for more!! Would love to eat there again on our last night here!

My wife and I had dinner here when we were in Milan 3 weeks ago and we both felt sick the following day. My wife had Branzino and I had steak. After eating at this place, it destroyed our vacation in Milan. Don't recommend this place.

After a long day of strutting through the Duomo like the Milanese icons we are, my crew and I were craving something authentic, cozy, and far from the tourist traps! We wandered into Antica Locanda Il Tavolino, just down the street near our hotel--and let me tell you, chef's kiss. The service? Impeccable. Warm, attentive, and refreshingly unpretentious. The food? Let's just say I'm still dreaming about my pizza ai quattro formaggi (sorry, I forgot to take a pic! However, you can visit my instagram or tiktok because I made a video. Plus the perfectly steamed spinach that kicked off the meal. Simple, elegant, and absolutely delish. No gimmicks, just flavor. The vibe was intimate without being stuffy, and the menu had enough variety to make me wish I had a second stomach. Next time I'm in Milan, I'm coming back with an appetite and a mission: try everything. If you're looking for a spot that feels local, tastes luxurious, and doesn't scream "tourist trap," this is it. Grazie mille, Tavolino--you understood the assignment. Ohkurr?

A charming little restaurant, definitely worth the visit. The food is always good and the service is always friendly!

Quality of food was great, portions were good, prices were fair and service was not the best. Many locals and visitors come to the place.

Excellent dinner!! There were so many things we wanted to eat! We shared and loved it all!! The meatballs were awesome, the caprese was tasty, the lasagna, ossobucco risotto and spaghetti was all amazing. It was so much food we took leftovers back for breakfast. I'd go again. Service was outstanding, they spoke English. Loved every thing about this place

Honestly saw a lot of mixed reviews about this place. We did not plan to eat here at all actually, but the restaurant we wanted to go to is right next door was not open for dinner for another 2 hours. Service: INCREDIBLY SLOW. The reviews about the terrible service are accurate. The server took his time coming to our table to get our orders. Food: Ordered the pizza with ham and mushrooms, sea bass , seafood salad, Norwegian salmon fennel salad & tagliolini squid + shrimp. All were extremely bland. I kept having to add a bunch of salt to all the dishes & squeeze lemon. Even then, the food did not taste much better. Also, I had read a tripadvisor review about their water scam. They give you two 500mL waters and tell you they ran out of their 1 L, just so that they can charge you twice the amount of their menu price for water (€3). One 1 L water would be €3 & the two 500mL waters they give you, you'll be charged €6. Terrible food. Please avoid & if you're looking for dinner at 5pm, just take my advice and wait until 7pm for all the GOOD restaurants to be open. It is not worth it. The seafood salad was the most bland of them all. Just boiled seafood & mostly greens... not even much for seafood.

Food (5/5): Delicious lasagna and truffle pizza which we ordered. The bread that came was also quite well made. The pizza had an interesting olive taste even though there were no visible olives. Service (4/5): No issues with the service although we had to waive down a waitress because it took a bit for someone to take our order. Food came out reasonably fast. Ambiance (5/5): Nicely decorated and spacious restaurant. There is a visible pizza oven and a selection of wines displayed. There is a good amount of tables inside and some outside.

Food was Great enjoyed my seafood pasta and service was okay not as good as other places i have experienced in Milan- Tourist friendly.

We arrived to Milan a little late in the evening on a Sunday while on vacation. We were staying at the Hilton and looking for a real Italian restaurant to grab dinner, the concierge recommended that we get a table here and we were happy to get a last minute spot. The restaurant was only five minutes walking and had a great ambiance. The staff was full of energy and happy, even late on a Sunday. We had a great meal with some great Italian wine and could recommend.

Very rude at front desk. Recommended by hotel we are staying at down the street. They laughed at us when we asked if we could dine there at 10:30PM. Clearly wanted to be done working as fast as possible. Will not go back.

This place was sooooo yummy. The carbonara with saffron & spicy sausage pizza were both a 10/10. This place is a wonderful lunch spot & or dinner.

This was my first meal in Italy and I had to get pasta of course. I couldn't decide which to choose, but I'm happy I trusted my judgement and ordered the linguine with clams. This plate exceeded my expectations. I'm so happy esp after flying all day. Great service

Place was busy when we arrived and it took the wait staff some time to get to us. We had to flag them down to order and get the check. The food was good but the service mixed. The were some waiters who were quite attentive to their customers, but not ours. I did like the look of the place though and we weren't crowded in.

Meh. My recommendation, keep walking and find something better. Food is average at best and service is relatively non-attentive. I got the cured meat plate and the scossa pizza. Cured meat plate - it was fine. I really like the mortadella, but the rest wasn't anything special. Pizze Scossa - It is supposed to be spicy sausage and fresh chili peppers. Sausage was OK, but I didn't see or taste any fresh chili. Not really much better than the pizza I got at the Milano Centrale (main train station). The place is basically a stop for tourists that are staying at the nearby hotels. If you just flew into Milan and you need something to eat before you crash to get rid of the jet lag, then it is fine and convenient. Otherwise, I'd recommend that you go find something local and more authentic.

Wonderful meal wonderful waitstaff. We were a large party with 2 children and they let us be. Attentive to our needs and didn't rush us. Great food and great wines.

This place is great! We started with bruschetta that was delicious. I had linguine and claims that was loaded with clams and great flavors. My wife had lasagna which was amazing. Very nice and great service. Be sure to try the fresh hot bread! And the blueberry aperitif to finish...totally nice touch!

Good local spot for lunch. They have a wide selection on the menu at affordable prices. As with most Milanese restaurants, the service is a little curt towards American customers. Our 1st waiter was slightly rude byt everyone else was pretty inviting. We ordered 2 pizzas and a pasta to share. The pizza was nice and light. The toppings were really fresh. The pasta was also perfectly cooked.

A cozy restaurant with lots of window seating. It was an enjoyable place. The food was good, but nothing spectacular. The servers were efficient. However nothing here really stood out to make this a great place with wonderful food.

Food was delicious and our waiter was fabulous. Wonderful night in Milan! Would definitely go again!

Do not go here!! The service is terrible. Absolutely awful. Our waiter took so long to acknowledge us, when bringing our drinks he slammed my boyfriend's drink down at me and then when bringing my wine he spilled it all over the table. Almost like he did it on purpose. My boyfriend's pizza came out before my meal, bread was never brought after asked for, and at that point we felt extremely unwelcome and uncomfortable. The food was just ok and after the service when so far downhill I just wanted to leave. Everyone here ignores you. Why would I ever recommend a restaurant that makes you feel SO awful and you give them money for that?!!!! No thank you!! Note to restaurant- be respectful to the people coming into your establishment. Niceness goes a long way. Treat people like decent human beings. I would never come back and would never send anyone here. 0 stars for the level of respect we received, you guys suck.

The service experienced at this establishment was profoundly disappointing, particularly for those visiting as tourists. Although the culinary offerings were exceptional, they were unfortunately overshadowed by the apparent indifference exhibited by the staff. During a family outing that included visits to several museums followed by a dinner, we encountered a series of unprofessional behaviors. The staff made light of the quantity of food we ordered, and when we inquired about certain menu items, they bluntly refused to serve them without providing any rationale. This lack of courtesy and professionalism significantly detracted from our dining experience. To compound the issue, the waitstaff insisted on receiving a gratuity at the conclusion of our meal, which I typically would not object to if the service warranted it. However, the manner in which they approached this request felt coercive and was decidedly off-putting. It appeared to be a common tactic aimed at exploiting the tourist demographic in the area. Despite the deliciousness of the food, the overall experience was marred by the staff's unkind treatment, particularly when we were unwell and subjected to mockery. It is regrettable that such a promising dining experience was diminished by the lack of attentiveness and respect from the service team. Il servizio sperimentato in questo locale è stato profondamente deludente, in particolare per chi ci è venuto come turista. Sebbene le offerte culinarie fossero eccezionali, sono state purtroppo oscurate dall'apparente indifferenza mostrata dal personale. Durante una gita in famiglia che includeva visite a diversi musei seguite da una cena, abbiamo incontrato una serie di comportamenti poco professionali. Il personale ha preso alla leggera la quantità di cibo che avevamo ordinato e quando abbiamo chiesto informazioni su alcuni piatti del menu, si sono rifiutati bruscamente di servirli senza fornire alcuna spiegazione. Questa mancanza di cortesia e professionalità ha notevolmente rovinato la nostra esperienza culinaria. Per complicare la situazione, il personale di servizio ha insistito per ricevere una mancia alla fine del pasto, cosa a cui in genere non mi opporrei se il servizio lo giustificasse. Tuttavia, il modo in cui hanno affrontato questa richiesta è sembrato coercitivo ed è stato decisamente sgradevole. Sembrava essere una tattica comune volta a sfruttare la fascia demografica turistica della zona. Nonostante la squisitezza del cibo, l'esperienza complessiva è stata rovinata dal trattamento scortese del personale, in particolare quando non stavamo bene e siamo stati oggetto di scherno. È deplorevole che un'esperienza culinaria così promettente sia stata sminuita dalla mancanza di attenzione e rispetto da parte del team di servizio.

Pizza was limp and not done and the service was horrible. never came back to ask if we wanted more wine or anything. they make you feel ignored.

Restaurant was recommended by hotel. Cute little place with an extended menu. Waitstaff and food were excellent!

Service was great!!! The osso buco was wonderful and very reasonable!!!! The ahi buffalo mozzarella app was amazing!!!!!! We had a great time Our favorite so far!!!

Wonderful meal and service. Seafood salad was delicious pictured with a spray of balsamic.

Food is good, quality and tasty. Ambiance music great, and light intensity was perfect. The location is also great, don't miss the souffle and the lamb chops.

Our hotel recommended this restaurant & we walked there to check it out. It was good, but not "amazing" and certainly not "the best food around" as we were told. It wasn't terrible, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't all it was built up to be. The server we had seemed to be a bit overwhelmed. The man I assumed was the manager was doing his best to fill in whatever was going on, but it was almost too much. It's hard to explain, but it made all of us a bit uncomfortable. The wine list was nice, the food was fine, and the walk was nice.

Service staff speaks good English and is super friendly! What's most important is that the food was superb too. Super recommend!

Don't bother. Tourist trap. Fast food at its worse. Both courses came out at once within approximately 4 minutes.. before we even took a sip of wine or have bread arrive. Guess it was sitting at the ready. Yucko. Jarred pasty tomato sauce. Dried out Milanese veal bigger than your head. Quantity is not quality. But how do you wreck a mixed salad? Unripe tomatoes. Wilted old types of lettuce. Seriously. Who gives you the peeled skin of what was either zucchini or cucumber. Who could tell? Maybe they used the rest for a different dish? Upon recommendation from the waiter, we also ordered the spicy paccheri pasta with "crispy pork cheek." I had to ask the waiter to identify the meat. He spooned out some slimy piece of something akin to an overcooked onion. I am so mad at myself for not sending it back. Not sure what the €3.50 each cover charge included (twice the norm from our two weeks of eating in fine restaurants). We had to ask 3x for bread and then they flat out refused to bring butter. Yes, we also use olive oil and balsamic, but they claimed they had no butter. Wonder how they do their ravioli in sage and butter? This is just bulk cooking at its worst. They know. They simply don't care. Really sad we wasted an opportunity for good Italian food and spent almost €100 for mediocre wine they recommended and food I could have gotten in a frozen tv dinner. Avoid.

We had a great late lunch here. We were looking for something other than pizza after 10 days in the tourist areas of Italy. The steak was large, aged and perfectly cooked to order. They have an open flame grill that gave the steak a crisp sear. We also had a salad, which was very fresh and plentiful. The fries were a different cut that we enjoyed and perfectly salted. We would recommend. They also have pizza if that's what you want.

Awesome Osso buco! Had a wonderful al fresco dinner with a rain storm moving in. The staff was very accommodating and made sure we were kept safe and dry in the impending storm. Had the most awesome primativo and plan to return.

Words cannot express how much I loved Il Tavolino, and how strongly I recommend folks stop in here. After what had to be the most nightmarish journey to Milan from Seattle, Washington, we arrived at our hotel at around 11:00PM... starving. I checked Yelp and saw Il Tavolino was close by, rated highly, and was open very late, so we dropped our bags off and headed out for dinner. We were greeted instantly and seated at a small table near the kitchen. The place was packed despite the late hour--the crowd appeared to be mostly locals. Our waiter arrived promptly with a wine list and menus. We settled for a couple glasses of Pinot Grigio, the Paccheri alla diavoletta, and the Lasagna with Scottona ragout. When our meals were brought, we were in absolute heaven. My dish, the Paccheri alla diavoletta, was easily the best pasta I have ever had. The combination of flavors was simply out of this world. The sauce was slightly spicy, but had a lovely sweetness due to the ultra ripe cherry tomatoes. The guanciale was crispy, fatty, and salty, and contrasted perfectly with the creamy, mildly flavored stracciatella. The paccheri was al dente as it should be. It has been just over two months since I've had this dish, but I can't stop thinking about it. I'm heartbroken I can't get this dish at home! The service the whole time was spectacular. Il Tavolino is very tourist-friendly, and the staff speaks wonderful English. At the end of the meal, the waiter--aware of our terrible journey getting to the city--even treated us to limoncello shots at the end of the meal. I mean, how great is that? Overall, if you're in the neighborhood, Il Tavolino is a MUST-STOP place.

Ordered takeout bc one of our party wasn't feeling well. In these times, want to spare staff and strangers what midge be- The staff was super kind and gave the two of us waiting free Prosecco, however when we got to our hotel, 1/2 of our order was incorrect. What we did get to eat was 4stars. Buckwheat noodles were substituted with regular noodles for someone who can't eat regular noodles.. -always check you get what you ordered!

ottimi gnocchi morbidi con pomodori freschi. ottima selezione di salumi e formaggi. tutto era perfetto.

Really amazing meal top to bottom. Highlight was the ravioli. Decor/ambience/service were top notch.

Recommended by the hotel, we ventured to this restaurant hoping for some good food. It looked promising with nice decor, plenty for people and a good menu. The staff themselves were cities my courteous but not overly friendly nor extremely helpful when it comes to recommending to non locals. I'm quite convinced they do primarily non local business and mostly people in Milan on business. The food itself was good, but not anything to write home about. It's definitely good and you probably won't be disappointed, you just probably won't be overwhelmed either. The wine selection, we had good wine. The restaurant itself looked pretty nice as well.

This is a hot spot, so reservations or going during "non peak" times are suggested. I only had a short time in Milan so all my food choices are valuable. Discovered this gem to try a "must eat - authentic Milano" dish. Osso Bucco was the requirement, this spot served it with Risotto, simple balanced, veal bone marrow shank was fall of the bone, simply perfect. Since it was also known for pizzas, needed to try. Ordered the Scossa - a Spicy Salumi, Mozzeralla Napolitano Pizza with red Chili for the kick. It was walking distance from the Westin Palace Milano... so everything worked out perfect. Had the coolest server, spoke english and was helpful with my glass of Pinot Grigio..

On the positive, it is good for a quick meal if you are near the Hilton or Four Points Late at night. Good atmosphere with friendly wait staff Salad was okay and so was the pizza. But have had much better of both Stateside. So bottom line - decent late night eat but nothing to write home about. Especially from Italy....

What a great place - awesome food and service. - we did not have a reservation, yet they found a table for us downstairs. Filet with Gorgonzola Breaded Veal cutlet Pasta with bacon / asparagus Shared a pizza for starter (ham / mushroom)

I do not know why people rate this place low. This place is outstanding! Yes, they take a bit because they don't rush people that is what Italians do and Europeans in general, they let you eat so you enjoy. Once you order they bring the food pretty fast. The food is OMG so good! The pasta is so flavourful and so simple at the same time, great wine and atmosphere. I have tried the ravioli and the spicy pasta not sure the name. Soooo good!!

Great food- friendly staff!!! My hotel recommended Il Tavolino to me and it was perfect. Day 1, I ordered a pizza marinara and salad with chicken. Both were delicious!!! Pizza, salad, still water, bread, beer and espresso was $34 euro. Day 2, still water, bread, beer and lasagna was $24. The waiters spoke enough English and Spanish to make up for my lack of Italian. Nice restaurant with a lot of Italians so I figured "When in Rome!" Rather, Milan! But if Italians are eating at the restaurant= Good authentic food!!! The Wifi was not working but I still took my time going through pictures after my lunches and never received a dirty look by the staff for sitting after I ate!!!! All in all, 5 stars!!!! Great service and great food!

The three stars are for very poor service. My pizza was good. I was seated in a sort of basement-like area (which was fine). I was never really sure who my ACTUAL server was. I had several - none of whom seemed to care what I wanted, whether I'd ordered, or if I was even a patron in their establishment. One in particular seemed annoyed by having to help me. I could not get anyone to take my order, bring anything to drink, follow up with me - nothing. I was so frustrated that I almost got up mid meal and just walked out. In the end I could not get anyone's attention for probably 15 minutes to come give me the check. It ruined what might have been a decent experience, as the pizza was one of the better ones I had in town. On a personal note, I waited tables for years and worked the floor in many a restaurant, so I understand when people get busy. This was not it. I got the feeling that no one cared. Disappointing.

We had a lovely meal here on our first night in Milan. For Starters I had carparcio, followed by a meat sharing platter and shared tiramisu for dessert. The tiramusu was delish and you could taste the coffee, so defo a pick me up!! Our seat was opposite the kitchen and the meat fridge, so you could see the chefs prepping and cooking all dishes. It's great because you see a very clean kitchen and chefs all look professional and clean! The waiting staff were all very nice - they greeted us and said good-bye. The place looked clean and well-presented and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who goes to Milan.

My husband and I were recommended this restaurant for New Years Eve dinner by our hotel. It was overpriced, we sat in the basement where you can hear (and feel) metros every few minutes. The veal was okay, pizza was nothing to write home about. Our waiter was ridiculously rude, never smiled, had a v negative energy. He forgot our order which had to be verified by another staff member, he spilled my wine while pouring it without acknowledgement, hit me in the head with a plate while clearing the table - did not acknowledge this either. Not sure if this is typical for this place. Based on our experience I not only cannot recommend Il Tavolino, but I feel the need to recommend to others to avoid this disorganized mediocre establishment.

Terrific all around! Great food, wine and dessert! Our teenage children thoroughly enjoyed the meal as well. Plenty of menu choices and everything we ate was fabulous! Servers were fantastic and it was all around a very enjoyable experience. Easy location to find and I would definitely recommend this as a terrific dining option while in Milano!

I went after being recommended by the hotel and was not disappointed. The lasagna was amazing! There are seating options both outside and inside, and translated menus in English are available.

A very pleasant restaurant with some super friendly staff! We ordered the Tatar, as a starter, witch tasted excellent! For main we ordered some slides beef with cheese and mushrooms and a pasta with mushrooms also, and everything tasted very good! The atmosphere in the restaurant is very good and the sound level is good! All in all definitely worth a visit!

Cool little restaurant I found while venturing out in Milan last October. I had a margarita pizza, some pasta and some wine... I mean pizza and pasta can't go wrong.... all was delicious....

We had dinner here our first night in Italy for vacation. It was wonderful! Service was attentive but not hovering. Food was outstanding! You won't regret a dinner at Il Tavolino.